PT.10

Laced by Blood

Matt, Chalke, Newly, Nat Daniel's and William slowly approached the Navajo Indian Reservation. Nat led the way in. Scrambling around the men, a large groups of the braves surrounded them all yelling in their native language. Chalke and Newly looked to Matt and Nat. Chalke, knowing they would know the next move. Then suddenly the crowd parted and standing before them was Chief Black Horse.

Nat began to say a few words then Matt added in a familiar greeting. The chief invited the men to come a sit at his tee pee and talk.

As they dismounted, Elizabeth exited the tee pee and yelled out. "Chalke! Chalke? What are you doing here?" As she ran to him she threw her arms around him.

"Well now, Beth Honey. You alright?"

"Of course, I am." She answered. "Why wouldn't I be? Oh that's right, Momma sent you, didn't she? And you sent for Grace's parent's too? And Uncle Will?"

"Yes, Young lady, I did. We were worried about all of you."

Just then Grace exited. "POPPA? Oh, Poppa."

Matt quickly enveloped her in his large frame. "Gracie, honey, we were so worried about you."

"Yes, Poppa, I know. Momma told me. I wish you two would remember that I'm a grown woman."

"Young lady, do you have any Idea…" Suddenly he stopped, realizing what she just said. "What? What do you mean, your momma told you?" He then looked up over her shoulder at the sound of a familiar voice.

"That's right, Cowboy. I told her already."

"Kit? What are you… how'd you... when did you…?"

"Well, let's see now. Her arms went from being folded across her chest to her hands on her hips stance, which was a clue to Matt that her mood hadn't improved. And raising her voice in tone, she said. "I told you I was coming to get my daughter. I, unlike you, got on a horse and rode out here and found her." Now with a tight jawed smirk and hands flying and whirling around... "while you did whatever was so, ummmm, very important. "Did I cover everything, Mister Dillon?" She finished very sarcastically

Walking closer to her, he reached to touch her shoulders. "Now, Kit." Now in a much lower tone.

"Et uh. Not a chance, Mister. Don't you dare touch me and don't you dare, 'now Kitty', me. I think I've said all I have to say to you for the moment. She, with a burning stare, turned and walked away.

"KIT?"

"Poppa? What just happened?"

"Ah, Gracie honey, it's a long story. We'll talk about it later."

"But, Poppa, she looks really mad."

"Yeah, Honey, and it's more than likely going to get worse before it gets better."

Grace turned to follow Kitty.

Matt and Nat sat and talked with the chief and explained what was going on. They also had some talk with him about what was happening with the uprisings. Then the chief invited them all to stay for a meal before leaving.

Since most of the ill were feeling better, Grace and Sarah were able to tell them what they needed to do. Sarah made arrangements to come back periodically to check on them, to check whenever needed and also to regain a relationship with her mother and grandfather.

All the horses were saddled and ready to go. Sarah, Elizabeth and Grace gathered their things. "Well, we sure had a great start to our beginning, Sarah. Who would have thought we'd start our careers this soon or this way? I guess we were being tested, huh?"

"Grace, I'm sure glad you were here with me. You too, Beth."

"Ok, girls, we're all ready." Chalke announced.

Matt slowly walked over towards Kitty. "Kit, here let me help you."

Glancing at him, she allowed him to help her up.

"Look, Kit, we need to talk."

Just then she spotted the girls. "Matt, the girls are ready." And she brushed him off.

"Ladies, can I give you a hand up?"

"Sure, Mister Dillon."

As Kitty watched, Matt helped Beth up on her horse. She couldn't help but stare at the two side by side, comparing their eyes and their smiles. It was tearing away at her heart, piece by piece.

"Gracie honey, here, up you go."

Looking at Grace, those same eyes, that same smile. Kitty's eyes teared up. "Oh, Cowboy. How could you?" She said to herself, choking back the tears as she rode up along side the girls, taking a deep breath, not letting them see the pain.

The group rode back towards the ranches. William and Sarah broke off as they neared their place, saying their goodbyes. "Grace, we'll stop in town and see you before you leave. Ok?" Sarah reminded her.

"You better. And you have to come to Dodge real soon." Grace smiled at her.

"I will." She answered back.

Grace looked at Matt. "Poppa, we won't be leaving till later tomorrow, right?"

"Well, I guess not, Honey. I think we all need some rest."

"Ok."

Chalke rode up alongside Matt. "Say, Dillon, I'd like to say thank you. Even though the girls weren't in any real danger, you came and went with us."

"Rawlings, my daughter, daughters were out there. If I can help in anyway…"

"Look, Dillon, I love Beth as if she were my very own, ya know? I've been here since she was just a baby."

"Yeah, I know. Mike told me and I appreciate that too. But Mike and I have to do this and I have to tell…"

Chalke just tossed back his head. "Oh, man, I wouldn't want to be you. I already assume you never told her about Mike?"

"Not exactly," Matt said cringing.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I returned home, I told her I was injured on the prairie. And I told her I was found by a rancher, Mike Yardner, taken care of, nursed back to health and was very grateful to this rancher for saving my life."

Chalke now started to chuckle. "Oh, but you left out the part about Mike being a beautiful young woman. I see."

"Yeah, yeah, but I knew if I told Kitty that Mike was a woman… Look, I knew how much it would hurt her."

"Uh huh. I see. And the part about how grateful…"

Matt just shook his head. "UGH!"

"Like I said, Dillon, wouldn't want to be you."

As they all rode up to the Yardner Ranch, Kitty could feel her stomach tighten.

Matt's stomach was in bigger knots.

Beth quickly jumped down off the horse as she saw the front door open and her mother standing in the doorway. "Momma! Momma. I'm alright. You didn't need to worry, momma."

"Elizabeth Ann Yardner, you gave me a fright. Girl, you're gonna be the death of me."

"Momma, don't be silly. I'm not a child. I'm a grown woman."

"Well, you sure weren't acting like one. Come here and let me look at you."

Chalke smiled. "Aw, Mike, she's just fine. She was well taken care of, at least once Mrs. Dillon got there."

"Is that so?" Mike said now looking up directly in Kitty's direction. "Please, let's all go inside."

Matt turned to Kitty, reaching for her to help her down and placing both hands around her waist. He slid her down but close up against him. "Kit, Honey, please. I know this is…"

"No, Matt. Let's not keep your friend waiting." And she brushed her body against him and walked towards the house. As she reached the door, she looked at Mike. "Mrs. Yardner."

Mike gave a faint smile, knowing this was uncomfortable for them both. "Please, Mrs. Dillon, call me Mike. Everyone does."

"Oh, yes, that's right and please, it's Kitty. Everyone calls me Kitty."

"Can I get you something to drink? Coffee?"

"Yes, please, that would be nice." What Kitty was really thinking was that she really rather have something stronger to get through this.

Pouring coffee then placing it before Kitty, Mike smiled. "I really want you to know how much I appreciate what you did, going out to the reservation like you did after the girls."

"Oh, no need. Grace is my baby and well, the girls…"

Chalke asked Matt to help him with the horses for a moment. Matt hesitated. Kitty glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

Then Mike jumped in. "Go on. We ladies will be fine." Matt swallowed hard and followed Chalke.

"That was a brave thing, riding off out on your own the way you did."

"Well, there's nothing I won't do for the ones near and dear to my heart. I'm sure you feel the same."

"Look, Kitty, Matt told me… well, I know it doesn't make things much better but I never knew Matt didn't tell you that when I found him all those years ago that I was… well, that I was a…"

Suddenly Kitty finished her sentence. "I think the word you're looking for is, WOMAN!"

Inhaling deeply. "Well, yes. Kitty, I had no Idea who he was or where he came from. I didn't know if he had a family. Seriously, neither did he. And yes, I fell In love. After him being here as long as he was…"

Kitty threw up her hand. "You needn't remind me how long my husband had been gone. I'm well aware how many days and nights."

Inhaling deeply again, Mike looked back at Kitty. "Yes, of course. What I meant was, I began to feel there was always something. Something that deep down, even knowing he couldn't remember, something that wouldn't let him stay. Even when I found out who he was, I agonized over telling him, but I knew there was probably someone worried and wondering and loving him just as much."

Kitty got up and started to walk around. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear what Mike was saying. "I think it's time for me to go. Thank you for the coffee but I think I'll…"

"Kitty, please." Mike called her. 'We never meant for anyone to get hurt."

Kitty was trying to swallow down the pain that was resurfacing from twenty plus years ago.

"Kitty, please let me finish."

Just then Matt and Chalke entered. Matt took one look at Kitty's face and knew she was upset. "Kitty, you alright?"

Staring at him blankly. "ALRIGHT? Am I alright?"

The pain he saw in her eyes was a look he never wanted to see, but he knew there'd be more to come when he had to tell her about Beth.

"Grace and I are going back to town." She told him. He could see she was about to burst, practically into tears but the pain and anger wouldn't let her. "You... You do what you need to do."

TBC